I orginally posed a LC question to Shaf and here is his lengthy and detailed response:

Quote:

I'd initially say go 1 Arm LC (1ALC). It's less technical (and easier to start extending the sets). However, 2ALC is just one of the best bangs for the buck you can get using kettlebells.

The general heirarchy with this stuff is:

1. Light kbs, work on technique (including where to find rest at, in the LC movements, this isn't quite as critical because of the clean portion, but you'd rest in the rack and overhead, for both 1A and 2A movements). Increase time.
2. Increase RPMs
3. Increase Weight.

It looks like you're going ~ 5-6 RPM with the regular LC (which is good). With the 1ALC you can probably bump it up to 8-10.

The benefits start accruing, in my admittedly limited experience, ~4 minutes (total work with 2 kbs, or one hand work with 1kbs)

I really prefer the feel of these sets (as per heart rate and perceived exertion) to be like that of a hard 2-3 mile run. Not "holy shit I gotta lay down now I'm done" like Crossfit stuff.

You can do the intensive sets a separate day, if you like that sort of work with the kbs.

~30-50 reps per set with the swings is what Cate Imes (and the other competitive GS folks) recommend. There's no rest to be found while swinging, and it can ramp up fast. Of course, you can do timed deliberate LC work, then some ass busting swings.

I noticed work capacity gains after about 2 weeks. It was kind of subtle, but stuff like shoveling snow got much less fatiguing, and there was just kind of a general feeling of being "more fit". Didn't get as winded during short runs, etc.

Just lay out some sort of logical progression in time.

To give you something to shoot for, Eric Liford, of the AKC, who'd let himself get out of shape, started doing the mythical AKC fitness program and wound up here (and ended up losing ~20 lbs of fat without dieting)

3 sets of 6 minutes of 24kg 1ALC (3 minutes each hand)...30 seconds in between the sets, at 10 RPM

Then he repeated the same thing after resting a few minutes

So, it was, all said and done, 36 minutes of continuous work, overall. He said he was generally done in under 45 minutes, often even quicker. I think he did this between 3-6 times a week, depending on how busy he was.

Of course, the AKC Fitness program has logical progression to it (but I've never seen that program). When I met Eric last December, I wouldn't have thought he'd be able to walk up 4 flights of stairs without stopping.

__________________
"And for crying out loud. Don't go into the pain cave. I can't stress this enough. Your Totem Animal won't be in there to help you. You'll be on your own. The Pain Cave is for cowards.
Pain is your companion, don't go hide from it."
-Kelly Starrett

Shaf: I think I've mentioned before, I do the vast majority of my work with the 16s. The 24s still kick my ass in timed work

Allen: I'm doing ok with the 35's I think, 8 minutes, switching on the minute ~11 reps an arm.

Shaf: Start with 2 minute sets, then. It changes the dynamic quite a bit, makes it a bit harder in some ways, despite being more deliberate. Still keep the 8 minutes total time. TAke a hit on teh RPM if you have to. Becoming tolerant of the positions is a big part of it, and that requires stepping away from the "do as much work in as little time" mindset.

Allen: Stupid question, I'm supposed to rerack after the jerk right? I wasn't thinking on some reps and dropping it straight down

Shaf: Yeah. clean/rack/jerk/rack/clean. Look to put your elbow on top of your iliac crest on your hips. I think that Smet has a good visual on his blog:http://girevoysportafter40.blogspot....ity-in-gs.html
I have to remind myself to reposition myself close to the first picture. Straight legs, leaning back, elbow on hip.

__________________
"And for crying out loud. Don't go into the pain cave. I can't stress this enough. Your Totem Animal won't be in there to help you. You'll be on your own. The Pain Cave is for cowards.
Pain is your companion, don't go hide from it."
-Kelly Starrett

Thanks for the reply Garrett. My dad and mom actually love teh dynamic flexibility stretches I showed them when they were here. They loved the OHS with PVC so much when they went back home the first place they went was Lowe's and spent a 1.75 on a piece of PVC!

A quick effective WO I used a lot is a Swing/Goblet squat alternating ladder:

An example of a 1-10 ladder would be:
10 swings/1 Goblet Squat
9 swings/2 Goblet squats
8 swings....... and so on
The two movements flow well into each other and if you do it without setting the KB down it can get pretty intense if loaded properly or with higher rep ladders

I tend to use a lot of ladder progressions (RKC) in KB/BW workouts

Another good one is a KB clean+press/ pullup ladder:
1 C+P each arm/1 pullup
2 C+P each arm/2 pullups....

I will usually do 3 rounds of a 1-6 ladder and get a pretty good WO

THe possibilities with KB complexes + BW are pretty much endless. And definitely don't forget to teach him a Turkish Get Up, thats a great full body blaster that gets the heart pumping, builds balance and full body strength.

Good luck.

__________________
"We must all suffer one of two things: the pain of discipline or the pain of regret and disappointment."
- Jim Rohn

A quick effective WO I used a lot is a Swing/Goblet squat alternating ladder:

An example of a 1-10 ladder would be:
10 swings/1 Goblet Squat
9 swings/2 Goblet squats
8 swings....... and so on
The two movements flow well into each other and if you do it without setting the KB down it can get pretty intense if loaded properly or with higher rep ladders

I tend to use a lot of ladder progressions (RKC) in KB/BW workouts

Another good one is a KB clean+press/ pullup ladder:
1 C+P each arm/1 pullup
2 C+P each arm/2 pullups....

I will usually do 3 rounds of a 1-6 ladder and get a pretty good WO

THe possibilities with KB complexes + BW are pretty much endless. And definitely don't forget to teach him a Turkish Get Up, thats a great full body blaster that gets the heart pumping, builds balance and full body strength.

Good luck.

Thanks for the idea, will be a great addition to the program I'm creating!